Alba Gil Celdran was named this year's winner of the Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize by Hachette Aotearoa NZ and the Margaret Mahy Estate for her illustrations of Mahy's children's book Seventeen Kings and Forty-Two Elephants. The winner receives A$2,000 (about US$1,275) and a collection of books worth A$500 (about US$320).
The judging panel said Celdran's illustrations were mesmerizing and full of humor, and that they had a fantastic sense of movement, adding: "Her clever use of the kings and the animals led us on a very exciting, very humorous and very vibrant adventure."
The runners-up, Grant MacDonald and Matthew Hock, each receive a collection of books worth $A250 (about US$160) and a 30-minute individual mentoring session with the Hachette representative on the judging panel.